LOCAL AND MINING.

West Coast Times, Issue 31, 15 August 1865, Page 2

LOCAL AND MINING.

The paddle steamer Lady of the Lake is now on the ways, and has been moved a short dihtance towards the'river. It is confidently expected she will bo once more afloat about the latter end of the week, The Mary Ann Christina after a month's hard and persevering labor on the part of tho contractors, is now within twenty yards of tho river, and is also expected to bo "walking tho waters " in a day or two.

The thanks of this community are certainly due to Messrs Cobb and Co. for the enterprise thoy have displayed, and for the punctuality with which they transport tho mails from Ohristchurch overland to this placo ; and the greatest credit is due to Mr Flowers, tho mailman, for his energy in performing his pait of tho contract. Last week he was nearly a day beforo his time, coming hero on Friday night instead of Saturday.

Mr Piosser'a drug storo in Revoll street, had a narrow e&capo from being destroyed by fire- on Saturday last. It appears that somo sparks had fallen on tho calico lining of the private room, which immediately ignited, and for a fow minutes threatened destruction to tho whole premises. By promptitude and presence of mind, however, the fire was extinguished with little difficulty.

A meeting is to take placo this evoning at Bracken's Hotel at 8 o'clock with rcferonco to the establishment of a district school. We trust there will 'bo a good attendance, as the subject is one of conside, ablo importance.

Tho obstruction to the channel caused by tho wreck of the s.s. Titania, has already considerably altered its course and width. Tho freshet in the river during the past few days increasing its volume, and the Titania acting as an oxcollcnt cushion, has cannoned it off against tho north spit, out of whioh it has taken a hugo Bomi-circular sweep, and aided by a high tide on Sunday, the inroad it made was so extensive that Walker's Hotel was in jeopardy and men wero at work shifting it, tho sea actually washing in at tho door. Tho flngstaff also was in danger and was removed to a few yards to tho northward of the hotel ; but judging from tho inroad of the sea yesterday, there seems every probability of the necessity arisiug of shifting it again. The hotel, too, was in danger of falling, owing to tho sea washing tho piles in front of tho building — tho process of pulling down having been only paitially effected.

Captain Black, of tho Wild Wave Bohoonor, reports an event which desorves to bo publicly probated. Tho lengthy passage of tho sohoouor had caused the consumption of all the water on board, the daily allowance for some timo being reduced to less than a pannikin ; and oven this scanty supply had all but run out, when tho steamer Lyttelton was observed on her trip upward from Hokitika. Tho signal of distress was hoisted, but though tho steamer passed so closely that no doubt could exist of tho signal being seen, yet no notice was taken, Captain Palmer going straight on his voyago. Tho Huliooncr was becalmed at tho timo so tiiat thcro was no chanco of running anywhero for a supply of the vital element ; and the consequonco of tho abovo inhuman indifforenco might have boon serious, had not tho Wallaby providentially turned up, tho captain of which having a little moro Christianity aud humanity in his composition, at once boio down on Booing tho signal, and sent a cask of water on board. Wo trust wo shall nover again havo to roport conduct like that of the commander of the Lyttolton, soutterly unworthy of a seaman and a gentleman. An address has been presented to Captain Evans,' of tho Montezuina, from tho consignees por that vessel, thanking him for his attention and care while- removing tho cargo of tho straudod ship — to which alone they attributo tho undamaged condition of tho property entrusted to him, and tho satisfactory ddivcry of tho same to tho consignees, perfect and undamaged. Wo havo muoh pleasuro in alluding to tliis oircumstanco, as moro than ono instance hns occurred in whioh greed for "average" and froight lias bcon tho causo of tho destruction or damage of a largo amount of valuablo properly. Thd work of recovering tho engines that bolongcd to the ill-fatod Now Zealand is rapidly proceodingj and at night gfves tho beach quite- a lively appear! anco. Wo understand it is the intention of the purchasers to ship them to Melbourne, whore, doubtl less, they will bo well rewarded for thoir spirited, 1 undertaking.

A correspondent at the Grey relates a case of great hardship in connection with tho late raid of the police on unlicensed wholesale spirit merchants hero. Ho says :—" I arrived in this Province by one ot tho lato steamers, and two days after purchased some spirits and stock for a store I was then erecting at the Grey diggings. I stored tho same with a friend in Hokitika, awaiting the completion of tho store ; and when I went for my goods I found that tho police had seized tho spirits to tho amount of one hundred pounds, tho friend I had left it with had been summoned and fined, aud Hio spirits ordered to bo confiscated, whilst a merchant whoso stuff seized amounted to between nine and ten hundred pounds— who happened to have a friend on the bench— is simply fined in a mere bagatelle, and his stuff roturned, thus verifying tho old saw that 'one man may steal a horse whilst another cannot look over tho hedgo.' Is this a state of things to be tolerated, and are Messrs. Sale and Schaw fit and proper persons to hold their positions? These •worthies seem only to interest themselves in matters which can bring grist to tho mill— to wit, grog to the camp or fines to the coffors of tho government • they exercise a holy zeal in this, whilst tho security and peaco of the respootable inhabitants is set at naught. Would not the police be better employed in seeing that common decency was observed on the Sabbath than in dodging round tho dwellings of the orderly and well disposed ? I quite agre« with you in common with many of your readers here that it is quite timo that our grievances bo redressed, and would suggest that a publio meeting be called and a petition got up that theso gentlemen be at once replaced by men who would try at least to administer tho laws with dignity and justice."

The twin screw steamship Uno, Captain M'Meikan, arrived here on Saturday last. She left Melbourno wha:f at 1 p.m. on tho 27th July, and anchored at Queenscliffo 11.30 p.m. the same day ; left there at 9.30 a.m. on the 28th, passed the s.s. Alhambra off Capo Schanck, from Dunedin ; experienced a strong westerly breeze off Wilson's Promontory; on tho morning of the 29th, anchored at Sealer's Cove to trim the vessel, stil blowing very hard ; left on the morning of tho 31st, passed Swan Island on tho Ist August ; off there spoke tho barque Kohinoor, 73 days from Valparaiso, wished to bo reported ; experienced light winds and fine weather tho whole of the passage ; under steam tho whole way. Tho Uno is the property of M'Meckan, Blackwood and Co., Melbourno, and is fitted with a singlo horizontal engine of 12-liorse power. She is intended for tho drey and river servico, for whioh sho is well adapted, her draught of water being only five feet when loaded.

Our Kanieri correspondent informs us that as he expected, the re-action from tho South has commenced, twenty or thirty men heavily accoutred making their appearance on Sunday last. Of course, their accounts of the Totara rush are anything but brilliant— the place overdone, and many of the good claims not turning out according to prospects. This of course wo give for what it is worth. However, it is well for them if they are satisfied to return, and it is to bo hoped that they will bo contented to steadily develope the resources of a field hitherto unequalled on tho West Coast.

From tho Kaniori, our correspondent writes "that in spite of tho great decrease in the population through tho rush southwards, mining is still steadily progressing. Another excellent shaft has boon bottomed by tho New Chum party on tho flat in front of tho township. This claim adjoins James and party. The prospects obtained wore 1 dwt. and li dwts. to the dish, with three and four feet of washdirt, and not a great deal of water to contend with. The returns from Peters' claim are still most satisfactory, and James and party aro making moderate wages. lam sorry this persevering company have not met with better success, but I fed confident they will yet meot with a reward commensurate with time and labor they have oxponded. Ned's claim is yet maintaining its old reputation for richness ; and although it has been so many months in work is not near finished, and they havo their second layor to fall back upon. Hawkes and party, and tho olaims immediately adjacent aro yielding excellently— seven and eight feet of washdirt and an oz. to tho load being the style down there, with every probability of tho gold running a long way into the bank. Tho freshet in the river last week in 'no way retarded them. Of the Kanieri flat as a whole, there is no diminution in tho return from thoso claims in the different runs. From tho bottoms of paddocks when taken off the ounces aro recorded by tens, Towards the head of the workings, Wynn and party aro making good wages, and gold is traced" in scattered some distance above them.

From tho Eight-mile wo hear that already many diggers aro returning from tho South to their once despised claims. Steady returns aro to be had here by those not too greedy of gain ; we think this place will always command a permanent, though small population. From Woodstock and tho Maori Reserve tho the accounts nro satisfactory. Mitchell and party took between two and three ounces off tho bottom of their shaft. Charley's claim, next to them will pay wages, and below them the claims towards tho Roservo aro paying well. In tho Reserve, •Willis and party havo nearly completed their tailrace; they will break into their claim about the middlo of tho weok. The olaims appertaining to tho lower raco aro paying well, and on tho othor side of tho creek, Owens and party will in all probability break ground this weok. Wo aro glad to see that tho minors havo a good opinion of tho permanent and payable naturo of tho ground thus far opened, in proof whoreof ono party havo orooted a substantial cottage with a shingle roof ; thoy aro connected with tho lowor raco. A now trade is now springing up in Hokitika, viz,, that of exporting portions of many of tho calamitous wrecks that havo studded our beach. Tho Dart, on her outward trip, on Thursday, for Sydney, was loaded with all sorts of miscellaneous articles that havo been recovered from tho wrecks abovo mentioned— not very encouraging, wo should imagine, to tho owners of vessels that hpvo sontor aro about sending vessels to this port.

„. Captain Poolo, of tho^sohooner Leonidas, from Molbourno, has addressed tho following letter, dated 9th inst., to us from Nelson: — "I bog to inform you that on tho , morning of Tuesday, tho 2nd August, I was compolled to leave my anchorage with tho loss of bowsprit, an anchor, and sixty fathoms chain, and to itmko tho best of my way to Nolson for ropairs, as tho ship had becomo unmanageable without tho head Bails. I lmvo to thank Mr James Tier for his ablo apslstauco during tho timo, aud do think if any pilot is mado for the port of Hokit,ika, Jio is well qualified for tho po3t. I also think that such a thing is quite necessary, as masters of ships cannot know tho channel evon after crossing tho bar, whioh is, I think, tho least dillicult placo of all."

In another column wo publish tho rules laid down by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution for tho treatment of the apparently drowned, and which aro acknowledged to bo tho host yet known. We trust our readers will attentively peruse- these rules, as

the knowledge of them may be the means of saving many a valuable life. To ensure a large circulation wo shall continue to publish them for the next few issues.